


Two Doors Down

by secretsidgenowriter



Series: Tumblr Prompts [23]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Neighbors, Pining, non-hockey au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 09:37:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14376063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secretsidgenowriter/pseuds/secretsidgenowriter
Summary: He didn’t take no for an answer, not that Sid really pushed the issue, and showed up at Sid’s front door in a pair of tight jeans, a white t-shirt, and a red tool box in his hand looking like every single pornographic fantasy Sid has ever had. “There,” Geno says as he puts down the wrench. “Can you turn on faucet?”





	Two Doors Down

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this prompt: 
> 
> Trope: you're my apartment neighbor and sometimes I see you around and Oh? Something happened and you need me to fix (insert thing in apartment)/You need to borrow something? Okay sure. Wait, you need a date to an event? Okay I guess. Yeah, this event is fun and you look really good in that suit and you look really good in just your running shorts and you just look really good oh shit I have a thing for my neighbor

Sid crosses his legs at his ankles and leans back against the counter.

He takes a sip of his too-hot coffee and watches the pair of sinfully long and denim clad legs sticking out from beneath his kitchen sink.

Every so often the legs splay a little further open and Geno, the owner of the legs, grunts from further beneath the sink and reaches for another wrench or hammer or something from the tool box that’s set by his hip.

Sid rolls the rim of the mug across his bottom lip as Geno reaches a hand out towards the box.

“Do you need help?” Sid asks and Geno grunts softly and finally wraps his fingers around the tool.

“Is fine,” he says. “Almost done.”

“Oh, okay,” Sid answers faintly. _Take your time. All your time. Live down there if you want._

“Thanks again for this. You really didn’t need to. I would have gotten a hold of the super eventually.”

Geno snorts in disbelief and Sid nods even though Geno can’t see it.

This whole thing started because the building superintendent is constantly MIA and the leaking pipes in Sid’s apartment were about to become more than just his problem. Sid had been expecting a call from his downstairs neighbor when Geno, who lives two doors to the left of him, stopped him at the mailboxes and asked if everything was okay.

“Face looks….” Geno had paused and waved a hand at his own mouth that was pulled into a dramatic frown. “Upset.”

Sid told him about the faucet and the super and Geno patted his shoulder with an obscenely huge hand and said “I can fix for you.”

He didn’t take no for an answer, not that Sid really pushed the issue, and showed up at Sid’s front door in a pair of tight jeans, a white t-shirt, and a red tool box in his hand looking like every single pornographic fantasy Sid has ever had. “There,” Geno says as he puts down the wrench. “Can you turn on faucet?”

Sid almost drops his mug on the counter in his rush to cross the short distance to the sink.

He turns the tap on slowly and when Geno doesn’t say anything, goes for full blast. “Everything okay down there?” he asks and Geno sticks his arm out to give him a thumbs up.

“No leak. All set.”

Sid thanks him and steps back so Geno can pull himself out from beneath the sink and stand up. Sid is never going to forget how tall Geno is but as he unfolds himself to his full height Sid almost can’t believe that he’s real.

“Already thank me,” Geno says as he wipes his hands on one of Sid’s rattier dishtowels.

“I know but….can I get you some money or something?”

Geno’s head jerks up. “For what?”

“All the work you just did. It’s a Saturday.”

Geno shakes his head and bends over so he can collect his tools. The new angle gives Sid a fantastic view of his back, long and straight with the cotton of his shirt pulling against his muscles.

“I offered to help, Sid, remember?”

“Yeah but-.”

Geno stands up again and tips his head to the side, thinking. “Maybe one thing you can do for me.”

“Anything.” _Absolutely anything._

“Going out of town next week, can you get my mail for me? Last time I leave and I didn’t have anyone get it. Mailman just shove all the letters in, everything was wrinkled. Would really help me a lot.”

“Of course,” Sid says, “for sure. That’s all?”

“All I need,” Geno says pleasantly. “Huge favor, Sid. Thank you.”

“It’s no big deal.”

Geno hums and looks around Sid’s apartment. Sid doesn’t understand why he’s not just leaving. Not that he wants him to but…

“While I’m here, anything else need work?”

Sid blows out a breath and racks his brain. “The closet door in the bathroom is kind of squeaky.”

Geno nods and picks up his tool box. “Okay, we fix.”

-

Geno leaves on Monday at 4:45 in the morning.

Sid knows this because that’s the exact time the clock says when he’s woken up by knocking on his front door.

“So sorry,” Geno whispers, like Sid isn’t already awake. Geno is in a camel colored trench coat with a navy blue suit underneath. His shoes are shiny and his tie is bright red and there’s a small carry-on piece of luggage next to his feet.

Sid is barefoot in boxers and a t-shirt he’s had since he was in high school.

Thankfully, it’s too early for him to feel embarrassed.

“Forgot to give you,” Geno says as he holds out the small mailbox key for Sid to take. “Hard to get mail without it.”

“It’s fine,” Sid says as Geno hands over the key. “I have to be up soon anyways.” Sid has another hour to sleep. “Have fun on your….” He eyes the bag again. It’s awfully small. “Vacation?”

Geno laughs softly. “I wish. I’m going to work. Big conference in Orlando.”

“Oh. But still, Orlando.”

“Going to be raining all week,” Geno says flatly. “Rain, early flight, right into meeting, don’t even have time to change,” he says as he gestures to his outfit. “No fun.”

“Well….maybe the food will be good?”

Geno laughs, a little louder this time and even though Sid is exhausted and embarrassment over his nighttime attire is starting to creep in, he smiles back.

“Maybe. Open bar would be nice too but we see.” Geno glances down at his watch and winces. “Should go, going to miss flight if I don’t.”

“Wouldn’t want that.”

Geno’s face twists and Sid gets the feeling he’d like to argue that point.

Instead he sighs and picks up his bag. “Will be back on Saturday. Thank you again for the mail.”

“It’s no problem,” Sid says, waving the key back and forth. “What are friends for, eh?”

“Friends,” Geno repeats as his lips curve upwards at the corners. “Go back to sleep,” he says, still smiling. “Know you don’t wake up this early.”

“I could.”

Geno rolls his eyes and turns down the hall. “But you don’t,” he sing-songs and Sid hangs out the door of his apartment to watch him leave.

-

It is a federal offence to open someone else's mail.

Sid’s not stupid and he’s not crazy and he knows better but still…. the first time he pulls Geno’s mail out of his box he’s tempted.

It’s a momentary flash, there and gone. He would never act on it but he has to admit that it does cross his mind.

So he tucks Geno’s mail beneath his own and carries it up to his apartment with the the plan to toss it in the drawer by the phone and forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind, out of his hands.

Every day he follows the same routine.

He grabs his mail first and then Geno’s, and as soon as he’s in his apartment he makes a beeline to the drawer and dumps the mail in.

Sid doesn’t believe on pats on the back for doing the bare minimum but by the time Friday rolls around the drawer is full and Sid hasn’t peeked once.

He deserves a small reward so he pours himself a glass of wine and toasts to the drawer.

That’s when he notices the very corner of an envelope sticking out of it.

It’s going to wrinkle if he leaves it like that and the one reason Geno asked him for this favor was because he didn’t want to come home to wrinkled mail.

Sid takes another sip from his glass and opens the drawer just enough to get it out.

The rest of the envelope is fine and after bending back the corner and smoothing out the crease with his thumb it looks pristine.

It also looks like a credit card bill, boring and simple and addressed to Dr. Evgeni Malkin.

Sid’s eyes and mind trip over the two letters. _Dr. Doctor._

He sighs then takes a bigger sip of wine.

Sid’s not sure how it happens (it could have something to do with forgoing the glass in favor of drinking directly from the bottle) but twenty minutes later Sid is on his back on the cold tile floor of the kitchen holding an envelope up to the light above him.

The rest of the mail is sorted in different piles beside him.

Bills.

Catalogues.

Junk mail.

Miscellaneous.

The miscellaneous pile is what is currently fueling his desire to drain the remaining dregs of the bottle.

There’s an envelope from Make-A-Wish with _THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATION!_ written in a bright purple font across the front.

There are two postcards from Russia that he doesn’t understand but are written in crayon with giant hearts around the name _Zhenya._

In his hands is a large envelope from the WWF with a photo of a penguin on the front. It’s hard to tell but the longer Sid holds it up to the light the more he’s convinced that Geno has adopted that penguin. At least symbolically.

Sid swears and drops the envelope to his chest. Geno is perfect. He’s a doctor and he fixes sinks and doors with his toolbox. He donates to charities and adopts penguins and has sweet little family members that miss him all the way back in Russia and Sid….Sid is lying on his kitchen floor barely skirting around committing a major crime while he drinks red wine straight from the bottle.

Sid sighs and fumbles for the neck of the bottle and lifts his head a bit so he doesn’t spill.

It doesn’t work and when Sid tries to brush the droplet off his shirt all he does it blend it into the fabric.

He sighs a little harder and picks up the envelope again.

He’s pretty sure Geno has named the penguin Mr. Pebbles.

Sid’s head thunks back against the floor.

-

Sid isn’t hungover when Geno swings by the next day but he’s not feeling his best.

(He hasn’t gotten a red wine hangover since he was in college and it was the cheap boxed stuff that betrayed him then.)

Geno looks great when Sid opens the door. Maybe a little rumpled from the flight, but Sid thinks it works for him.

(Because Sid thinks everything Geno says or does works for him.)

“Hey,” Sid says as he turns back around towards the drawer in the kitchen. He leaves the door open as an invitation and a moment later hears it close. “How was the convention?”

“Long,” Geno says. “Boring, interesting. No open bar.”

Sid looks over his shoulder. Geno is running a hand through his hair. “Was the food good?”

Geno flashes him a smile. “Food was good.”

“At least that’s something,” Sid says as he gives Geno his mail then chews nervously at his thumbnail.

Sid didn’t open a single piece of mail but his hands were all over every single piece and he feels like Geno is just going to _know._

But all Geno does is nod in thanks, tuck the stack beneath this arm, and dig through his coat pockets.

“Got you this,” he says as he drops a keychain into the middle of his palm.

It’s small and square with a palm tree and _ORLANDO_ on it.

It’s cute.

“Stupid, small,” Geno says. “Not a lot to buy in hotel gift shop.”

“It’s not stupid,” Sid says as he grabs his keys off the end table. “I love it and it reminds me to give you this back.”

He struggles harder than he’d like to get Geno’s mail key off the ring and get the new keychain on but he finally does it and holds it up for him to see.

“Glad you like,” Geno says with a laugh. “Should go back to my place and shower. Smell like plane. Thank you again for this,” he says as he gestures towards the mail.

“Anytime.”

“Another conference next year.”

“Hopefully that one is more fun.”

Geno makes an agreeable noise and opens the door.

“Hey, G,” Sid says suddenly and Geno turns to look at him, eyebrows raised. “Just out of curiosity, what kind of doctor are you?”

“Pediatrician,” Geno says and Sid presses his lips together and nods.

This makes Sid’s already too-full heart spill over.

“Of course you are,” he says softly then shakes his head when Geno knits his eyebrows together. “It’s nothing. Go shower. And welcome home.”

-

Sid has had a lot of bad dates.

He hasn’t actually dated anyone past the first date in years the date he’s on right now, has got to be in the top five. Maybe the top three.

It’s rapidly sliding up the scale with every passing moment that he spends with Daniel.

Dinner was terrible. The food was overly expensive and pretentious and there was absolutely no chemistry between the two of them to make up for it. The conversation was stilted and awkward and Sid thought that once the check was paid they’d go their separate ways.

But Daniel didn’t take no for an answer when Sid assured him that no, he didn’t need to be brought back to his apartment, he could handle it himself and no, he didn’t need to be walked to his door, he’d make it just fine.

Sid doesn’t get what this guy’s angle is- if he’s dense or is just doing it because he thinks it’s funny but Sid’s almost to his door and he’s not sure how to keep Daniel out of his home without resorting to violence.

Sid is steps away from the door when he starts to pat his pockets. Once he walks by it he winces and comes to a stop in front of Geno’s door. He’s pretty sure he can hear the TV on in there.

“I forgot my keys,” he says as he raps his knuckles against the door. “I hope my roommate is home.”

Geno opens the door a moment later and Sid pushes his way inside without saying hello.

“Thank god you’re here,” he says instead. “I forgot my keys.” He looks at Geno with wide, desperate eyes and wills him to just please, go with it. Geno stares back at him. “Listen, Daniel, I’d invite you in but my roommate,” he says as he tips his head towards Geno, “has to get up early in the morning and it’s really not fair to him.”

“Oh.” Daniel says and he looks Geno up and down. “Well, I can be quiet.”

Sid’s skin crawls until Geno puts his hand on his shoulder and steadies him. “Sid’s right,” he says. “Get up very early. Very light sleeper.”

Sid can tell by the sound of Geno’s voice that Geno is glowering at Daniel and Daniel seems to shrink at least four inches in the face of it.

“Maybe I can come back sometime?”

“Don’t know,” Geno says before Sid has a chance to. “I always get up early. Always go to bed early.”

“We don’t have to meet here. You can come over my place.”

“It’s a bad time,” Sid says and Geno squeezes his shoulder. “I’m going to be really busy with work and….things.”

“Hockey practice,” Geno says and Sid loves him. He loves him for going along with this so well (and for a million other things but right now that quick lie is at the top of the list). “Busy with hockey practice. Teaches kids. Very sweet.”

“Yeah, that’s right. They take up a lot of time.”

“But so worth it,” Geno says.

“Oh, absolutely.”

Daniel quickly looks back and forth between them as Geno slides his arm further around Sid’s shoulders.

“Maybe I should go,” Daniel says and Geno is quick to nod his head. “It was nice meeting you, Sid.”

“Uh huh,” Sid answers and Geno pulls him tighter against his side. “This was really something.”

Daniel gives him a weak smile and Geno waves as he opens the door and steps out into the hallway.

As soon as it shuts behind him Sid is ducking out from beneath Sid’s arm, mortified.

“I’m so sorry,” Sid says as leans against the door frame. “I’m so, so, so sorry.”

Geno holds his hands up. “What happened? What was that?”

“That was a really bad date and I’m so sorry I just barged in here like this but I was afraid that if he got into my apartment he would never leave. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“How do you know him? Why him?”

“I don't know him. It was….” Sid sighs. “Don’t laugh at me, okay? I met him on a dating app.”

Geno doesn't laugh but his expression shifts and Sid launches into an explanation.

“What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to meet people? I don’t….” Sid trails off. It’s not like he’s a shut in or anything. He goes to work and out to get coffee and to the grocery store but the days of finding bars and clubs are long behind him. “I don’t know what else to do,” he says and Geno gives him a sympathetic look. “But then I finally do go out with someone and this happens.” Sid huffs a laugh. “I swear he didn’t seem crazy in his profile. Maybe I should take it as a sign- I should just stop trying. I’m clearly terrible at it. Being alone isn’t so bad.” He swallows the lump that’s been forming in his throat. “Sorry. The food was bad at the restaurant but the drinks were strong. I’m sorry for bothering you.”

“Not a bother, Sid.”

“Yeah,” Sid says sarcastically, “if you say so.”

Sid takes a step towards the door and Geno moves to stop him.

“Can stay,” he says. “You said the food was bad, so if you’re still hungry?” He gestures towards the kitchen. There’s something simmering on the stove and a bottle of wine on the counter.

“Do you have extra?”

“Is just me,” Geno says. “Always extra.”

“Yeah,” Sid says quietly, “I know how that is.”

Geno gives him a sad smile before he’s tugging him over to his small kitchen table and telling him to sit.

They eat together with Geno’s long legs bumping against his own,sharing small smiles around their forks.

-

Sid’s just about to turn on the game when there’s a knock on his door.

He sighs and puts the remote back on the coffee table before he gets up to open it.

He’s had a long day and all he wants is to put his feet up and watch the Penguins kill the Flyers on home ice.

However, finding Geno on the other side of his door in a tux is almost as good.

“Sid, need big favor from you,” he says as he wrings his hands together. “Have charity dinner tonight for the hospital and I RSVP months ago saying I have a date but now my date cancel and I need help.”

Sid blinks at him, still taking in the crisp white dress shirt he has on and the bow tie around his neck. “So you need me to help find you a date,” he says slowly and Geno shakes his head.

“No, no, asking if you would be date. It will be fun, promise. Know there’s good food and everyone is really nice.”

“I don’t have a tux,” Sid says like that’s the only thing that’s stopping him from agreeing and being whisked away to spend the evening with Geno. He should just say no and be done with it. His heart can’t handle pretending to be his date, not when he wants it for real.

“Don’t need a tux,” Geno says. “Can wear whatever.”

“Can I wear this?” Sid jokes as he sweeps his hands towards his sweatpants and t-shirt.

Geno nods, face set with sincerity when he says “think you look great.”

There’s absolutely no way Sid is going to say no to him after that, so he opens the door a little wider and lets Geno step into his apartment.

“Just give me twenty minutes to change.” He rubs his hand over his jaw. “I should probably shave, too.”

“No,” Geno shouts and when Sid turns around to look at him his face is a soft pink all the way out to the tips of his ears. “Just saying, don’t have a lot of time.”

Sid nods and leaves Geno standing in the middle of his living room as he slips down the hall.

He softly shuts the bedroom door behind him and leans back against it so he can take a moment to settle himself.

It’s just one evening with Geno, who will be wearing a tux the whole time and talking to his doctor friends about caring for little kids while Sid sits beside him and pretends to be his date.

He shakes his head and pushes himself off the door. There’s no point in worrying about it. It’s not like he’s going to be able to fall even more in love with Geno than he already is.

The event is at a fancy hotel downtown and Sid feels woefully underdressed in his basic suit until Geno puts a hand on the small of his back as he guides Sid through the crowd to their table. After that the only thing Sid can feel is the heat of Geno’s hand through his jacket and they way their shoulders and knees bump when they sit down.

Geno knows everyone, or maybe everyone just knows Geno, but there’s an endless stream of people stopping by the table to shake his hand and make small talk as Sid tries to eat his prime rib.

By the time the crowd dies down they’ve moved onto dessert. It’s a dense chocolate cake, more like fudge than cake, with a rich dark chocolate ganache on top. It’s so good that even if he wasn’t sitting next to the man of his dreams it would completely redeem the night.

He would happily write the hospital a check for everything in his bank account as a donation just to have more of this cake.

“You’re popular,” Sid says as the last person wanders away from the table. Sid licks chocolate off his fork and blushes when he sees that Geno’s watching him. He’s not being the most refined dinner guest, but this cake is really good.

“Sorry about everyone,” Geno says when he tears his eyes away and picks up his own fork.

“Why are you sorry? It’s okay. These people are your coworkers, right?”

“Usually they not so chatty.”

“An open bar makes people more relaxed.”

Geno huffs a laugh and pokes at his cake. “Probably right.”

Sid spears another chunk of cake. Without the colleagues passing by things go quiet and a little awkward and Sid feels the need to fill the silence.

The only thing he can think to say is “I’m sorry your real date couldn’t be here. You’d probably be having more fun.”

Geno jabs his fork into the cake and jerks his head up. “What?”

“Your date, your  _real_ date. The person you were supposed to be here with. Too bad for them that they don’t get to eat this cake,” he jokes as he gently elbows Geno. “It’s really good, you should try it.”

Geno puts his fork down and wipes his hands on his thighs beneath the table. “Sid. I lied to you.”

Sid slows his chewing and tries to figure out what he possibly could have lied about. Geno is a doctor and this is where he works and everyone here are his coworkers. He doesn’t know where the lie could be.

“Date didn’t cancel,” Geno admits.

Sid squints at him. “Did they stand you up? Because if they did that sucks but it’s their loss, seriously.” He puts his hand on Geno’s arm. “They don’t know what they’re missing.”

Geno looks down at Sid’s hand. “No. Didn’t cancel, didn’t get stood up. Never had a date at all.”

Sid frowns but doesn’t move his hand. “I’m not following.”

Geno sighs and digs the heel of his hands into his eyes. “Never asked anyone else. I accepted this invitation months ago and I thought by the time this happened I would have already asked you out and we’d just go together. But I keep getting scared and putting it off and then it’s tonight and have to act like you’re doing me a favor. Bad.”

“I don’t-.” Sid stops and presses his lips together. “What?” Geno groans but drops his hands from his face. “I lied.”

“You thought you would have already asked me out?”

“Thought we would be dating by now,” Geno says. He sounds miserable.

“Well, why didn’t you?” “Was going to but then you show up at my place with date and you say you don’t know where to find guys and I’m right down the hall, always, and I thought you didn’t want me. Didn’t want to embarrass myself and break my own heart.”

“I have been dying,” Sid says, his voice bordering on shrill and Geno’s eyes go wide. “I have been in love with you for so long but I thought you weren’t interested in me. I mean, why would you be? Look at you!”

“Look at me? Look at _you_. You think I don’t want? You think I fix everyone’s sinks?”

“I thought you were being nice.”

“Sid. I’m doctor, work with little kids all the time. They sick, they cry, is very stressful. Don’t have lots of time off to myself and you think I spend it under your sink because I’m _nice?_ No one is that nice.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Geno smiles and shakes his head. “You love?”

“Oh.” That’s too quick and too weird. “It feels a lot like it.” It’s not really backtracking. He doesn’t want to do that. “I’m pretty much into every single thing about you so…”

Geno grins, chin tilted up and smug. “So you love?”

Sid rolls his eyes and stares down at the cake until he’s ready to look up.

“Maybe,” he says and the cheesy grin on Geno’s faces slides into something softer.

Geno puts his hand over Sid’s on the table and squeezes.

“Maybe me too.”

It’s late when they get back to their building.

Sid is holding a take out box holding an extra slice of cake that Geno somehow snagged for him in one hand and Geno’s hand in the other.

They slow to a stop in front of Sid’s door but Sid doesn’t let go of his hand to fish the keys out of his jacket.

Geno doesn’t seem to mind just standing there.

“Can I ask you for a favor,” Sid says and Geno’s eyebrows pull together in confusion as he nods. “Can you kiss me right now?”

Geno’s expression clears and he tips his head back to laugh. “Worst, Sid,” he says but he puts his free hand on the side of Sid’s neck and leans in for a kiss.

It’s soft and sweet and _perfect,_ and when Geno pulls back Sid’s not surprised at all to realize most of his own weight is back against the door.

It’s definitely love. No “maybe” about it.

“Should go to bed,” Geno says. His voice has dropped down to a husky whisper that sends a jolt all the way down Sid’s spine. “Want to grab coffee with me tomorrow? Then maybe get dinner later?”

Sid nods, his head clunking back against the door and Geno smiles as he touches the side of Sid’s head. He gives Sid one more kiss before he steps away.

“See you tomorrow,” he says, “you need anything, remember I’m only a few doors away.”

“That’s too far,” Sid says, feeling bold. Geno stops walking. “You should be closer.” Sid grabs his keys out of his pocket. “You should stay here tonight. With me.”

It’s too quick but Sid doesn’t care and judging by the heated look on Geno’s face, neither does he.

Geno doesn’t ask a follow up question- he doesn’t ask if Sid’s sure or if he really means it. They both know the answer to that. All he does is take a step forward and then wait as Sid turns to stick the key in the lock and turn the door knob.

He follows Sid into the apartment and kisses him before the door closes behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is [ here ](https://secret-sidgeno-writer.tumblr.com/)


End file.
